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Regional Report
North Pacific

Am currently moving units to Paramushiro Jima as that base will be my focal point for the next few weeks. Have established a pair of CS Convoys for fuel and supplies to beef this location up.

The Northern Pacific will be a minor theatre where I grab, as usual, all bases from Umnak to Attu by FTF. Currently have 2 CL and 6 DD assigned to the area and will add another CL or two as well as 4-6 more DDs.

Major units to be used will be the Kawafuto Brigade and an SNLF Assault Brigade.

We'll start offensive operations up here in a bout a week.

Central Pacific
December 10-11, 1941

We separate Shokaku and Zuikaku with 5 DDs and send them home. Shokaku flies off her Zero and Kate Daitai to Maleolap to buttress forces in the Marshalls.

Zuiho joins CARDIV1 making that force a formidable 2 CV and 2 CVL with 250 aircraft. The TF is SW of Johnston Isle and will refuel from AOs tomorrow (12th). At that point they shall move SE and then interpose between Christmas and the West Coast. I want any of those early convoys sent from the WC to reinforce this early target of mine.

Five I-Boats are doing well along the WC and 7 more patrol NE from Christmas Isle. Hope they can provide warning of any convoy's approach. These are all Glen Boats.

The Guam Invasion Force is unloading presently at Saipan and will then reload to take Midway. It will be substantially protected.

Wake is about to be invaded. In two days an SNLF Assault Brigade will storm the defenses. The assault will be proceeded by a pair of BB's bombardment. When Wake falls this SNLF unit will join with the one coming from the Marianas to guarantee taking Midway easily. The BBs will reload at Kwajalein and then meet-up with the Midway Group to lend its guns to the cause as well.

The thrust from the Marshalls goes on without, surprisingly, any interruption. We've grabbed Makin, Tarawa, and Tabiteuea so far with Ocean andNauru about to be hit tomorrow. Landing troops are loading at Roi Namur and Jaliut to take Canton and Baker.

REINFORCEMENTS:
1. Eight modern DDs are on the way to provide a bit more surface strength for operations down here.
2. Have already mentioned the added air reinforcement from my damaged CV.
3. The Sendai Division is about 4-5 days from Jaliut. Its first target is Christmas Isle.
4. The Imperial Guards Brigade is a day or two behind that and they will take Palmyra.

KB Covers all this.

Southeast Pacific
Dec 10-11, 1941

A lot of action and sparring is already taking place down here. It is only natural since the Allies begin with SO MUCH MORE in this region. Pago Pago starts the war partially expanded with a small Marine unit, a sub base, and has Lexington and her battle group nearby.

My SS have been quite active scoring a number of hits around Pago Pago and Suva.

Planning for this region is to make it hot once the Line Islands fall. We'll have Shokaku and Zuikaku back by then as well as CVL Nisshin. If there is going to be a Japanese caused early CV Fight it should be down here.

As stated in the Central Pacific section, Tabiteuea has already fallen. This base will get the majority of engineers and base forces available to make it into a strong base from which to operate from.

Prior to the Offensive Thrust, we'll slowly move southwards by grabbing Canton and Baker then that group of islands just north of Suva.

South Pacific
Dec 10-11, 1941

As described earlier, there has been a two day long clash between the French Squadron and my four old CAs. Two Japanese DDs are damaged with CL Jean de Vienne sunk due to a magazine explosion.

Landings have occurred at Kavieng and Finschhaven. Manus and Shortlands will be landed upon tomorrow. Lae will be targeted and then we shall sit for a bit.

It may seem strange to say but this is a very minor theatre for the immediate month to six weeks.

Have moved the two CVEs into the area. They arrived at Truk and are going to move slightly north of Manus to see if they can get some opportunities to strike. The two little flattops carry 48 planes: 27 Zero, 15 Val, and 6 Kate. Not much but a little...

Philippines
Dec 10-11, 1941

Tasked with taking Luzon are the 21st, 48th, and 16th ID. As can be seen, North Luzon is already in the process of falling rapidly and it appears they will stand at Manila. Good Choice on their part. The 16th ID will land tomorrow at Legazpi and drive north beginning tomorrow.

The Americans are making a contest of it in the air. Zeros and Betty/Nells are hitting Manila's Port day after day sinking more and more ships/subs. Each day has seen around 20-30 P-40s rise and each day sees 6-8 of them shot down. Current count of sunken American Subs here is delightful: 13 SS and 4 S-Boats are known sunk. SEVENTEEN with at least 4-5 more seriously damaged/crippled in Port. YUMMY!

Philippines
Dec 10-11, 1941

The Allies attempted to slip CA Houston, CL Boise, and 4 DDs into the Central Philippines and hide lying in wait to ambush. They try this on the 10th by are flummoxed by a pair of BC, 2 CL, and 2 DDs who happen to right in their path. A sad little inconclusive engagement follows and they are forced to retreat to Davao. A second round of fighting occurs on the 11th between the same TF with Houston and Boise getting hit fairly hard. In exchange they cripple a Japanese CL Training Cruiser and it attempts to limp into Dadjangas. Boise moves SE of Davao where a group of Kates hit her with 3 250Kg bombs possibly sinking her.

A full Daitai of Bettys fly into Babeldoap and they shall work to finish the shipping in this region.

Landings have gone well with Paras grabbing Cotabato, Tanks getting Dadjangas, and the 90th Inf Reg taking Butuan. An SNLF Assault Brigade will help the 90th and we'll wrap this island up fairly quickly.

Malaya
Dec 10-11, 1941

The Malay Campaign may be due for an early close. The initial landing of the 5th and 18th ID was at Kuantan and not Khota Bharu. I like this location due to being closer to Singapore and that nice Sz-4 AF. The Imperial Guards is moving in from Singora while the Mersing Landing will take place tomorrow. There is a REAL possibility of crippling the Allied army in Malaya within 4 days.

I used the Army Paras to take Port Dickson severing the Railline on the west coast. Strangely the enemy does not apear to be reacting to bump my boys out of there. If my Paras can hold for 4 days, I should have Mersing and be well on the way to severing the peninsula by grabbing Kloung. If that happens, ALL of the units north of the Mersing--Kloung Line will be cutoff from Singapore. Singers will only have the strength of the Aussies to hold it. Three ID could easily take that and then double back on the isolated troops on the peninsula. All depends on Port Dickson holding!

Tomorrow will see 27 Zero and 12 Tojo Sweep Singers. We'll see if there are any surprises waiting there. Nearly 100 Fighters are on LRCAP over the Mersing Invasion Force.

My Submarines are kicking some serious BOOTY right now!

December 10th:
I-165 Sinks AK Demodocus with 4 TT off Oosthaven
I-166 SINKS AK Demothenes and AKL Oriskany off Muntok
I-157 SINKS AK Clan Maciver in two attacks off Koggala
I-10 SINKS AK Ruth Alexander at Pago Pago
I-169 hits AP President Monroe at Pago Pago

I-155 is sunk by mines at Palembang.

December 11th:
I-158 SINKS AP Indora off Colombo
Ro-63 SINKS AP Koolinda near Port Moresby
Ro-66 SINKS AK Alcoa Pathfinder at Pago Pago
I-160 hits AK Haresfield near Koggala and SINKS AK Talthibius at the same location
I-8 hits AP President Madison at Pago Pago

How about that??!!

My opponents are REALLY TRYING to put the hurt on me somewhere right now. They have formed little Surface Action Groups and if I am not careful, one of them is gonna get into a convoy and cause a whole bunch of hurt on the Japanese. This being said, since they are playing aggressive, I have tremendous opportunities to inflict real harm upon the Allied Fleet. Have already started to see a large loss of cruisers. Confirmed Sunk: CA Indianapolis, possibly CA Houston, and SIX CLs. This is after just a week of conflict.

For some reason my opponents have chosen to keep Force Z at Singapore, despite hitting the CAP with Sweeps and Betty-Nell attacks occurring over the last two turns. Well...it is now too late. CARDIV2 just shot along the southern edge of Borneo (and wasn't seen by search planes) and will SINK Force Z tomorrow. I've saved Torps for this moment and I ordered all Kates armed with TTs for tomorrow's contest.

Will do a full Posting later today after we're done watching the HOBBIT.

How did the raid on Singapore go?

At a range of 225 miles, CARDIV2 turns into the wind and launches a killer strike of 25 Zero, 40 Vals, 52 Kates Would that be THIS Raid?

Combat Report
December 12-15, 1941

The juggernaut is now picking up speed and man--o--man Allied ships are going down a FAST rate.

North Pacific
Paramushiro Jima has gotten 5-6 Engineering units and is building up. Have a total of 4 CL and 7 DD present. Figure we'll start landings at the essential targets within a few days.

Central Pacific
CARDIV1 moves into a blocking position between the Line Islands--Hawaii--WC. Turn on all search planes this turn and e'll see if anything is in the area. Have got enough fuel on my AOs for two refuellings. KB is staying here until we take the bases. The IMperial Guards is about a week from landing at Palmyra. The Sendai Division is unloading at Jaliut in component form. Once unloaded we'll form it into the Division and then immediately load for Christmas.

Landings are about to occur at Nauru, Baker, and Canton.

Wake fell without issue on the 12th and that SNLF Brigade is now loading for Midway. The pair of BBs that lent bombardment support just reloaded at Kwajalein and are heading back to Wake. Once there everyone departs for Midway.

Lots of fuel and supply heading to Kwajalein, Jaluit and Truk.

SE Pacific
SS quite active down here at Suva and Pago Pago.

South Pacific
Have taken Manus, Kavieng, Fincshhaven, Shortlands, and Buin. Will be taking Lae and Lunga with a day or two. After the clash with the French formation there has been little seen of Allied shipping. Keeping an eye open...

Philippines
Luzon
This campaign is shaping up nicely as all of northern Luzon is Japanese and Clark will fall tomorrow to the 21st ID. They have elected to fight at Manila. GREAT! Once I capture Bataan then I can bombard the heck out of those troops.

From the south we have taken Legaspi and Naga. Landing for the 33rd ID at Antimonan tomorrow.

Manila Port
I cannot believe that amount of submarines my Manila Strike have yielded! Over half (18) of the starting Asiatic Fleet subs have been sunk. Here are the names of those sunk:

Fleet Boats: Sealion, Snapper, Tarpon, Skipjack, Sturgeon, Seadragon, Swordfish, Saury, Porpoise, Spearfish, Permit, Pickerel, Searaven, Sailfish,
S-Boats: S-38, S-40, S-41, S-37

Mindanao
Have taken Butuan, Oroquieta, Dadjangas, and Cotabato. Should have Davao tomorrow.

The Asiatic Fleet nearly had a big victory two days ago when three old Four-Pipers had a shot at an all AP TF approaching Oroquieta. They sank one AP and then disengaged due to a lack of ammo. These DDs are all beat-up from earlier engagements escorting Boise and Houston. Got lucky there!

Eastern DEI
No real landings. All emphasis has been in the western DEI for the moment.

Central DEI
The 65th Brigade and an Air Division is targeted for Balikpapan and they should arrive in about 4 turns.

Western DEI/Singapore
ACTION!

Once I saw that the enemy were keeping their warship at Singapore I began moving my assets to the Singkawang area. Two BB TF and CA TF began sweeping the area and the sinkings really got going!

Palembang: 3 AK, CL Durban, 5 AKL, CM, CMc, and 4 AMc.
At Sea: CL Dragon, 10 TK, and 4 AKL

CARDIV2
Hiryu, Soryu, and Shoho skirt the southern edge of Borneo and swing into action on the 15th. In the morning they sink 2 AKl and 2 AMc and then launch an attack at shipping formed up at Singapore. As detailed above, 25 Zero, 40 Val, and 52 Kate CRUSH shipping present here. The strike sinks a CM, 2 ML, 2 AKL, 2 AMc, 2 HDML, and possibly sink CL Lamotte-Picquet and a DD.

They hit EVERYTHING BUT Prince of Wales and Repulse. Force Z is present because it got attacked by 9 land-based Vals in the morning. DRAT! Well, this is not a huge issue. CARDIV2 moves two hexes SE and will continue strikes in the area. Just finished unloading an Air Division at Kuantan and brought in 60+ Betty-Nells. Torps are ready so this SHOULD be the deathnell for any shipping at Singers.

The 4th ID is finishing loading at Singkawang and will depart for Palembang tomorrow. They are escorted by 5 CA and 2 CL.

Malaya
Looking GREAT! Take Mersing on the 13th. Troops from there arrive at Kloung on the 15th. We shall take that base tomorrow and should cutoff most of the infantry on the peninsula outside of Singers. HUGE! We'll take Singapore no later then the end of the month. The 38th ID is moving here from Hong Kong and this will allow a three division attack on Singers within about 10 days.

Imperial Guards, 55th ID, a TK Reg, and an Inf Reg are pressing the troops trapped north of Port Dickson.

Burma
We've got a total of 4 TK Reg moving in on Moulmein. We'll see what the guys intend to do here.

China
Working to clear the Central Plains and are threatening Changsha.

SS Operations
12-12
I-10 SINKS President Jackson at PP
Ro-63 SINKS TK Sunchaser

12-13
Ro-67 hits AP Mungana near nadi
I-26 hits AK Aroturus near Channel Isles
I-160 SINKS TK Lady Myrtle off Trincomalee
Ro-65 SINKS CL Perth with a pair of TTs at Palm Isle

12-14
I-121 hits AK Wing Sang off Batavia

12-15
Ro-67 hits AK Nisqually and SINKS AK Steel Age off Nadi
Ro-66 SINKS AK Dardanus at Pago Pago

Solid performance! ASW evens accomplishes a sinking. SINK KVIII at Singakwang. NICE!

Repairs
1. CV's Shokaku and Zuikaku are two days from Home Islands and repairs there. Will also use these flightdecks to do some re-sizing of my Training Squadrons at Home.
2. Several CLs and DDs are also near the HI for repairs. Should be able to form all these guys up in about 10 days to redeploy for SE Pacific coverage.

Wow! Nice shootin'.

Here is a screenshot of the Malaya--Palembang Area:

CARDIV2 slides SW two hexes to get out of the way of Force Z if it runs for Batavia. If Force Z does retreat then these CVs are positioned to hit 'em.

A BB TF of 2 BB, 3 CL, and 8 DD begins patrolling a triable hoping to catch Force Z or fleeing shipping.

The Palembang Invasion Force will depart this turn and is escorted by 5 CAs.

Malaya:
1. Temoluh under siege by a TK Reg
2. Kloung about to fall to an ID
3. Troops moving on Johore Bharu and Pt Swetterham

VP Screen for just eight days of war. Take a look at the number of Allied ships sunk:

Take a look at Cruisers and SS Sunk. One can probably add Boise and Houston to this list:

Forgot to do the screenshot of CARDIV1 off of Christmas Isle. An I-Boat spotted a TF last turn and we'll just have to see what is there...

The weather socks in Singapore for the day so the Betty and Nell crews who have freshly arrived at Kuantan wait until the afternoon to pick their target. Air Search picks up a TF of APs guarded by CL Ceres skirting the west coast of Sumatra. The ships are loaded to the gunwales with troops pulled from other areas. They have no aircover. The reign of terror begins as 17 Zero and 44 Betty-Nell CRUSH the Task Force. CL Ceres is sunk under a storm of FOUR TTs and joining her are 2 AP and an AK. The AK is carrying all sorts of Vehicles and Guns while the two transports carry over 1,200 men EACH. Whatever unit this TF was carrying is now rendered combat ineffective.

Welcome Miss Betty to the Stage and give her a round of applause!

We had a bad handoff of the next turn so this has throw us by a day. Should have the new turn this afternoon.

Fumble! [:D]

I bet that last Betty strike hurt from the Allied perspective. When your OOB is tiny to begin with and you lose most of a precious unrestricted unit at sea the ouchie factor must be high.